


Silver Poison

by JayeMover_16



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, DEAD FIC, During Canon, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 5,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayeMover_16/pseuds/JayeMover_16
Summary: Ash, a vessel that doesn't quite remember their origins, finds a friend in the Colosseum. This sparks a series of events that will reform their mind.Dead fic; will be reworked.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Ash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter my OC.

Ash, a vessel with more personality than the Pale King himself, was once again wondering whether to go back to the Colosseum of Fools to pass the time. They haven't fought against the God Tamer quite yet, so maybe they'll try. Then again, their silver poison did away with the platforms they were fighting on, so... maybe not. Hopefully, the platforms were fixed by now and the fights could continue as normal. Their silver poison couldn't be that bad, could it?

Speaking of which, the blobs of silver floating around the vessel seem to be reflecting the light from the streetlamp next to the bench. It was fun to watch it flow around them, moving and twisting with every little thought or movement. Unfortunately, the silver droplets corroded almost anything it came into contact with. Rock, metal, flesh, and fortunately, the Infection. This also meant that poor Ash couldn't touch anything directly without getting the poison on whatever contacted them. Apparently, pale ore and the metal that comes from it is resistant to such corrosion. That's why all Ash's armor had been plated with pale metal. It made their armor very strong as a bonus.

Maybe Ash should check up on the Colosseum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering, I based Ash's silver poison off of Cinnabar's from Houseki no Kuni/Land of the Lustrous. And yes I know poison is toxic if ingested not when you touch it, but they call it silver poison so deal with it.  
> Also, pardon the fact that I have no idea how HTML works.


	2. The Colosseum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Tiso.

At the Colosseum, Ash walks in to find that nobody is here. Odd, normally the Colosseum of Fools is full of spectators and fighters alike. Looking around, they spot someone scurrying over to them.

"Oh! Um, you are the one who covered the fighting arena in silver stuff, correct? I'm so very sorry, but it's taking a long time to clean up. We've closed the Colosseum until it's fixed." who Ash guesses to be a staff member says.

"Alright. Too bad." Ash nods.

"What do you mean, the Colosseum is closed!? I trek all the way here for what!?" someone behind Ash yells, annoyed.

"Who are you?" Ash asks.

"I am Tiso, and I WAS going to fight but now I can't!" 'Tiso' huffs.

"Maybe we could spar?" Ash suggests and immediately regrets it.

"Sure, when the Colosseum opens again. Why is it closed even?" It seems as if Tiso only heard the tail end of your conversation with the staff.

"Oh, it's because of what happened in the last fight. It's easier if I show you, but please be careful." the staff member leads you both to the arena, where the floor is still covered in silver pools.

"Who did all this!? Was it you? Is that what this stuff is!?" Tiso turns to face you.

"Yes. Don't touch it." Ash responds.

"I definitely won't! ...Now that I know about your 'weapon', I'll show you mine so the fight is even," Tiso suggests.

"Sure. How about the hot spring?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've not yet beaten the False Knight, but I've seen Mossbag videos so yeah. Sorry if anything is incorrect.


	3. Blades of Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiso and Ash have a casual conversation about weaponry.

Once in the hot springs, Tiso sat on the edge with his feet in the water. Ash, on the other claw, sat down seiza style next to Tiso. This is how Ash always sat when on the floor. One of the many quirks that they were quickly thrown out for.

"So, see this shield? Watch!" Tiso explained. He squeezed the handle mechanism and the sections separated. The sides that were once connected were partially-sharpened blades. It... didn't look very functional.

"Huh..." Ash simply said.

"You got a problem with my weapon?" Tiso snarled.

"Could use actual blades in the gaps."

"That... could work!" he replied.

The two continued to converse about Tiso's 'weapon' before he asked a rather bold question.

"So, what is that silver stuff anyway? You completely destroyed the arena, and I already told you about my weapon."

"I'm not sure what it is, but it corrodes everything except pale metal," Ash explained.

"Corrodes? Geez, if I fight you I'll probably die!" Tiso exclaimed, shocked.

"I could get a weapon?" Ash suggested.

"You're gonna have to!"

"Then we will go see the Nailsmith together!" Ash declared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought about how Tiso's shield looks like it could conceal some blades between the parts that open up. I don't understand how the shield would work otherwise. Also, if you don't know what sitting seiza style means, go google it.


	4. A New Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash and Tiso head to the Nailsmith's hut and find a friend along the way.

On the way to the Nailsmith's, Tiso had heard a voice of some sort. Ash, being very compassionate, wanted to see where it was. Which led them to their current situation.

"Use that silver stuff already!" Tiso yelled. He was busy fighting the vengefly king that had taken another wanderer hostage.

"Can't!" Ash yelled back. They desperately wanted to help, but they didn't want to hurt Tiso or 'Zote the Mighty'.

"I'll get you an opening!" Zote threw their 'sword' at the vengefly king. That worked, surprisingly. The vengefly king was hit in the head, stunning it. Ash promptly threw a silver veil of poison at the enemy, corroding its wings and body. It fell to the ground, dead.

"My goodness, you're a rather powerful warrior! Almost on par with myself!" Zote exclaimed.

"Calm down, squib. You don't even have a functional weapon," Tiso retorted as he threw his shield in the air in victory.

"No weapon left, it's gone," Ash announced as they picked up the silver-coated remains of Zote's 'sword'.

"Drat," Zote said, deflated.

"The Nailsmith could help." Tiso offered.

"Then it shall be! Onwards!" Zote exclaimed as he marched forward.

"To the Nailsmith's!" Ash followed.

"You're both going the wrong way, it's down here," Tiso complained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so I didn't decide this until now but Ash's journey happens alongside the Knight's (Ghost). Also, Zote's boasting is a little watered down. I understand that he's supposed to be a glorified joke, but in order for this story to function, he needs to be changed a bit. The Nailsmith's actual hut is in the City of Tears but this story takes place after the Knight spares the guy. In short, the Nailsmith's new hut is just Sheo's house. Sorry for the confusion.


	5. 10 Precepts of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zote's precepts are changed, and Tiso realizes something.

Trekking through Greenpath is not easy. There are thorns and acid pools everywhere. It's a miracle that the Nailsmith got up here by himself. And it'll be a miracle if the three of them get up there at all. At this rate, they might as well turn around.

"Bah! Why don't you burn down all these thorned vines with that acid of yours?" Zote complained.

"We couldn't walk through it," Ash replied.

"Just shut up and keep moving." Tiso snarled.

"I don't believe I've told you my 57 precepts yet. It's a rather long way to where we're going so-" Zote began.

"57? Cut the filler." Ash turned to Zote.

"Filler? What filler?"

"Let's go through them," Ash suggested.

After going through Zote's 57 precepts, with Ash's help (and Tiso's third perspective) they shaved it down to 10. Going through the wording, they made more changes. Once done, Zote's 14 Precepts would fit nicely framed on your wall.

"My word, I didn't believe this would happen. The precepts I've worked so hard on, all for naught? Impossible," Zote said.

"They're not all gone." Ash chimed. It was true, even if the precepts weren't word-for-word anymore they still had the original title!

"Keep humbling this guy, and he just might be bearable," Tiso called from where he was cutting vines.

"You boast too," Ash retorted. Tiso paused for a moment.

"I do? I never noticed it. ...I guess we both have something to work on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a big problem with Zote's precepts since there were some good ones tucked amidst the joke ones. I saved them down and changed the wording to make them better. Here's a link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J2VfgoBZ8_tkZjAkrYKr6vo54kz6-FuNoPv2De1Gj-g/edit?usp=sharing  
> Guess what the chapter title rips off of? Hint: Overhaul


	6. A House in the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Nailsmith makes an entrance.

Finally arriving at Sheo's house, the trio looked around to find that there's nobody home at the moment. Odd, the door is still open.

"There's nobody here. We're going to have to wait for a while," Tiso announced after casing the house.

"Drat. This is some wonderful art, though..." Zote zoned out.

Ash, on the other claw (again) simply sat on the bench outside the house. Taking note of all the vines, they deduced that nobody bothered to take care of the exterior. Even the bench they were sitting on was a bit worn. Finally, they decided to go inside. In the house, there was a large multitude of sculptures, paintings, and, strangely enough, nails. Nailmaster Sheo was retired, so why did they have a ton of nails all over the place?

"My goodness, what might you three be doing in here?" the Nailsmith said from behind Ash. They were startled by the lack of footsteps.

"We're looking for you," Tiso explained, "We were hoping for your help."

"With nailsmithing? We'll need to go back to my old workshop, but I can definitely help you."

"These nails. Why are they here?" Ash asked.

"Well, Sheo uses them as easels. I'm not sure why, but I was planning on surprising him with an actual easel someday. He said it was fine if I used them for other things."

"Where might he be, anyway?" Zote chimed in.

"He had gone up to Dirtmouth to see his old teacher. I'll bet they're still talking. I decided to take a walk while he was gone," the Nailsmith said as he took a few nails from against the wall.

"I don't need a nail. I need something to reinforce this," Tiso explained as he opened up his shield.

"I'm not sure if I can help you with that..."

"That's fine. I have an idea," Ash nodded, the gears turning in their mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little bit longer than the other chapters. I've been thinking about how Tiso's blade-shield-thing was going to work, and I had an idea also taken from Houseki no Kuni. I won't tell you what it is yet, though! Also, I didn't realize I had hit 1k words! Yay, this fic is going places!


	7. A Weapon of Mass Destruction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nailmaster Sheo returns home to three more people than he was expecting.

The Nailsmith and Zote took a minute to discuss how long Zote's nail was going to be. Ash took a piece of paper and drew out an idea. It was in the shape of a flame, with a hole in the middle. Zote, on the other claw, drew a nail that looked an awful lot like the Mantis Lords' spears.

"My, you're both so creative!" the Nailsmith exclaimed.

Ash drew one final nail, one that looked like a stretched-out kunai. Unable to decide between the two designs, they gave both to the Nailsmith and let him decide.

"Hm... This one is much simpler, but I feel as if I've seen it before. This flame one, on the other hand, it's rather unique!"

"Maybe not a nail..." Zote wondered out loud and drew a new picture. It was a spear with a curved tip.

"Something new?" Ash quipped.

"Perhaps," Zote replied. He was making small changes here and there.

"Mine reminds me of someone I think I know," Ash said, holding up the flame-sword drawing with their gloved claws.

Just then, the door opened, and the retired Nailmaster walked in. Looking around, Sheo was confused as to why there were suddenly 3 more people here. It was an odd sight, but he was glad that there was more company.

"What an interesting little gathering we have going on," Sheo smiled. The Nailsmith smiled back and motioned him over to the side. They talked for a moment, and Ash took another sheet of paper. They drew out a design for Tiso's shield. It had crystals from the Crystal Peak sticking out of the gaps. Ash colored the crystals in pink for reference.

"Huh? Hey, why is it pink?" Tiso asked.

"They're crystals from the Crystal Peak. It's pink topaz, with a hardness of 8. It's very strong."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to show the drawings I made because I'm A) terrible at drawing and B) I don't feel like drawing them again anyway. Sorry!


	8. Lone Worker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiso and Ash head to Crystal Peak for supplies.

"Huh? Pink topaz? Would that work?" Tiso asked, still not fully grasping the concept.

"It would definitely work," Ash assured.

"Why don't you two go gather some crystals? I'm still working on my spear, and it may take a while," Zote said.

"We'll do just that!" Ash declared. Crystal Peak wasn't even that far from Greenpath, and it was chock full of loose crystals.

"Alright, well, let's head out then!" Tiso stood up and advanced towards the front door. Ash followed quickly behind.

At the entrance to Crystal Peak, the sounds of a lone miner could be heard. The closer the two got, the louder it became. There was singing, too.

"Huh, there's someone here. Maybe they can help us?" Tiso wondered out loud.

"We should talk to them!" Ash suggested. The duo followed the singing and found a lonely miner still working during these times. She was hacking away at the stone with her pickaxe.

"Hello? Why might you still be working here?" Tiso asked.

"H-huh? Oh, hello! Why am I still working here? That's b-b-because there's still treasure to be found here! Why are you here?" the miner stuttered.

"We're looking for pink topaz that's the right size. Can you help us?" Ash said.

"The right size? What do you mean? Oh, and m-my name is Myla!" Myla cheerfully noted.

"We need about 5 chunks that are this size," Tiso gestured with his hand.

"But we can use the same one twice if it's thick enough!" Ash chimed in.

"I think I have some that are that size! O-over here!" Myla walked over to her bag. She took out a few chunks of topaz, three that were slightly larger than necessary.

"We can use those. I can find a way to put the extra pieces together," Ash said, scooping up a few loose shards.

"Thank you for your help, Myla!" Tiso called as they left. "Now, how are you going to put the shards together?"

"With tree sap."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I missed an update yesterday. Oh well. It's still dated to be yesterday. I'm taking a lot of inspiration from Houseki no Kuni at this point, even having crystal be put together with tree sap or something. Just assume this is possible in-universe, please.


	9. Crystal Carving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash works on Tiso's shield, while Zote finally figures out what his new weapon will be.

Back at Sheo and the Nailsmith's house, Ash had set aside the pink topaz for Tiso's shield ('This is for Tiso's shield, not for sculpting!'). Then, they had gone out to look for tree sap that they swear they saw earlier. Their silver poison hadn't gotten on the crystal, fortunately.

"Hey, Zote? You figure out your weapon yet?" Tiso asked.

"Yes, I think so," Zote replied. He held up his drawing. It was a forked spear with a cloth-wrapped handle.

"Cool!" Tiso took a good look at the drawing, "Come to think of it, what is that kid's name? I don't remember them saying it."

"There was a child similar to that one that stopped by my shop a few times. Maybe they're related? Oh, but that one didn't talk..." the Nailsmith chimed in.

"We can ask them when they get back," Sheo said from the other side of the room.

Meanwhile, Ash was busy collecting tree sap. They had found a good amount before sitting down to check their inventory. There was a lot of tree sap, enough to build Tiso's improved shield. They decided to head back for now.

"Hey, kid? What's your name, anyway?" Tiso asked.

"They called me Ash," Ash said.

"Who called you that?"

"Don't remember."

Ash quickly got to work carving the crystals into thin blades. Then they took the shards and broke them down into smaller pieces. Taking the tree sap, they put the crystal back together into roughly the same shape as the other blades. Finishing up with some final touches, their work was complete.

"I can attach those to the shield right now if you want?" the Nailsmith offered.

"I have an idea first. Can I have my drawing again?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm totally not foreshadowing Ash's backstory, am I? No way. And don't worry, you'll see more characters soon!


	10. Crystal Weaponry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiso's shield gets an upgrade.

Ash's new design was that Tiso's shield didn't open up. Instead, it simply had the crystals wedged between the gaps. It was entirely stationary, but it looked better and wasn't as bulky as before.

"Huh! I like it. Still a deadly factor, just not a surprise!" Tiso exclaimed.

"...Do you have any of that crystal left over?" Zote asked.

"No, sorry. Were you going to add it to your spear?" Ash replied.

"Yes, I was. It looks a bit plain as is."

"Maybe we could find a different color? We could all have crystal weapons!" Tiso suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea! I can help you make the handles," the Nailsmith chimed in.

"Mine looks like a flame. I should find some red crystals. That might be hard." Ash said.

"Yeah, the only color crystals in Crystal Peak are pink. Maybe Myla can help us again?" Tiso wondered.

"We have to decide on a color for Zote. Or should we just see what we find?"

"Let's get a goal, and see what we find."

"I say we see how Tiso's new shield works first," the Nailsmith took the parts and went to work.

About an hour later, the Nailsmith was done with Tiso's shield. It looked exactly as Ash imagined it! The shield itself was reinforced with pale metal (because Ash's silver poison didn't damage pale metal). The pink crystals were a bright contrast between the white shield and the spiral pattern was perfect.

"...It's getting late. How about we all get some rest?" the Nailsmith yawned.

"I'll set up some beds for you," Seo offered.

"That would be nice, thank you," Zote said.

"I don't really sleep. This poison of mine keeps me awake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiso's shield is complete! Also, it has the same pattern as the in-game coiled nail. Just imagine each segment having a spiral around it. I'll draw it for you guys soon! And woo, more Houseki no Kuni references!


	11. Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash falls asleep for the first time.

Due to their poison, Ash couldn't sleep in a bed in the first place. On top of that, however, their poison reflected light. Void doesn't like light, obviously, and such light kept them awake. Then again, if there was no light they'd probably fall asleep. That's why Sheo suggested that they sleep in a nearby cave. It was mind-blowingly dark despite all the luminous plants in Greenpath. It was a perfect place for Ash to sleep. It was on a small cliff, however, and was a bit far to walk just to sleep. Ash didn't mind, however, and they wanted to see how sleeping was.

Arriving at the cave marked on their map, Ash slowly climbed down the cliff. They burnt off vines that were in the way with their poison. Looking around the small cave, they settled down on the floor. It was surprisingly comfortable despite it having no grass. The silver now coating the floor wasn't even visible. Before they knew it, they had fallen asleep.

The next thing they knew, they were standing in front of some sort of dead husk holding a bowl. The bowl had a black substance pouring out from within it. Suddenly, a red-cloaked figure walked up to the husk with another, smaller bowl in their hands. They filled the bowl with the black substance that Ash assumed to be void. Then, they placed a large red crystal inside of the bowl.

"You will bring balance back to this world," the figure spoke in a deep, raspy voice.

The figure then turned around, and Ash caught a glimpse of their face. A white mask(?) with lines going through the eyes. Just like Ash did. Were... were they related in some way? Were Ash's memories of being a vessel forged? No, no. It couldn't be that way. This had to be something else.

Waking up on the stone and dirt floor of their cave, Ash bolted upright. What even was that!? Was that what a dream was? Or was that something different? They noticed that their silver poison had completely covered the cave floor. Nobody but Ash could live here now.

"...I have to find that person. Even if it doesn't solve any problems, I need to know what that was."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ash is slowly turning into Cinnabar from Houseki no Kuni. Seriously, I can't believe how much this feels like a crossover! Should I make more vessels like the gems? Comment your answer below, please!


	12. Desicions

Ash was borderline running to the house, their mind overflowing with ideas again. They wanted, no, _needed_ to know.

Arriving at the house, Ash barreled through the open door. A barely-awake Zote let out a surprised yelp as Ash landed right next to them. Fortunately, the blobs of silver didn't touch him.

"What might you be doing this early!?" he exclaimed.

"I had a dream! I saw someone! We have to find them!" Ash jumped to their feet.

"Slow down, there," Sheo said from behind his easel. He was painting a bundle of flowers.

"What a way to wake up..." the Nailsmith muttered.

"You what? A dream?" Tiso asked from the window.

"I saw someone!" Ash repeated.

"Who'd you see?"

"Someone with eyes like mine!" Ash pointed to the markings on their face.

"So, their face looks like yours? How about you draw them?" Sheo suggested.

Ash swiftly grabbed a piece of paper and drew out the person. Unfortunately, none of them knew who it was.

"I say you work on your weapons, and then you can go find the dream-person," the Nailsmith yawned.

"Do you want us to be safe or do you just want more sleep?" Zote retorted.

"Maybe a bit of both..."

"It's early, anyway. Let's go, Ash!" Tiso stood up.

"Right, alright, we can search for them later," Ash pouted.

"So, what type of crystal were you thinking for you and Zote?" the Nailsmith changed the subject.

"For Zote, how about chrysoberyl? As for me, I'm not sure yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you don't mind Houseki no Kuni mini-spoilers, cuz there's gonna be a ton of them! Also, this is honestly just a transition chapter. I'll be making these chapters a bit longer from here on out.


	13. Return to Crystal Peak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash and Tiso try and find some chrysoberyl.

"Chrysoberyl? I've never heard of these types of crystals before. You know a lot, you know!" Sheo complimented.

"I don't remember where I studied these things, but I know way more than that!" Ash said proudly.

"Then why can't you find one for yourself?" Zote asked.

"Because I have a lot of favorites and can't decide. I'm using my favorites for your weapons to narrow it down."

"Why do you need a weapon again?"

"I was going to fight Tiso in the Colosseum."

"We're going to have to postpone that fight since you have someone to find now," Tiso said.

"You would be alright with that?" Ash asked.

"If you dreamed of them, then they must be important! Besides, I'm curious to see who it is."

"Thank you! We'd better hurry! Let's go!"

Ash and Tiso once again trek to Crystal Peak and meet with Myla. Unfortunately, she hasn't seen any chrysoberyl around. She odes, however, redirect the duo to Dirtmouth where there was a vendor selling such types of crystals.

"They said they were m-mining crystals to sell, so I think they may have taken all of it!" Myla had said.

Now, in Dirtmouth, Tiso was looking around for the vendor while Ash fooled around with their poison. It was something they did to distract them from overthinking.

"Hey, I think that's the vendor!" Tiso pointed at a mantis standing outside one of the buildings.

"Special wares from Crystal Peak!" the mantis called out to passersby, much to no avail.

"Hello," Ash said to the mantis.

"Oh, hello! Have my wares interested you?" they (she?) asked.

"Yes, actually. We'd like to see if you have any chrysoberyl?" Tiso asked.

"I'm not sure what exactly the crystals are, but they sure are pretty!"

"I can help you with that," Ash offered.

"That would be wonderful!"

"We can identify what crystals you have using the pink topaz in Tiso's shield." Ash explained.

"Wonderful! If the crystals break, do you have something to put them back together with? I don't have anything that can do that."

"I have glue made of tree sap. That should work."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo new character! Don't worry, this girl is gonna be very important later!


	14. Mantis Vendor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiso and Ash get to know the mantis a little better.

After working for a bit, Ash had found that there was not a single gemstone under the hardness of 5. The crystal with the lowest hardness was a small chunk of fire opal that Ash bought for themself. The highest was some sapphire in different colors. Ash did find some chrysoberyl but wasn't sure if it was enough to make Zote's spear.

"Do you think this is enough chrysoberyl for Zote's weapon?" Ash asked while repairing the crystals.

"Should be some left, unless he changes the design again," Tiso responded.

"Good. We could use some extra."

"So, you two are using these crystals as weapons? Interesting. Normally, I sell to jewelers," the mantis commented.

"The harder the crystal the better it is as a weapon. Pale metal has a hardness of only 8, but chrysoberyl has a hardness of 8.5," Ash explained.

"I see. Well, what about ordinary steel? Like most weapons are made out of?"

"Only about 4.5 at most. Pale ore is rare, but crystals like these are commonplace."

"I see! Well, this can be your little secret for now!"

"So, since you're a mantis, wouldn't the other mantises not like you being here?" Tiso asked.

"Well, actually... I wanted to travel and see what this place had to offer. I wanted to see what I could bring back to my village, and now I've found something! Thanks to you, I think the Mantis Village will prosper even more now! Oh, I didn't even introduce myself yet! I'm Keera!" the mantis said excitedly.

"Nice to meet ya, Keera! I'm Tiso, and this fellow is Ash!"

"...Have you seen someone with a head like mine anywhere? I mean, their face looks like mine but they look very different..." Ash asked.

"Huh, no I haven't. If they were in Hallownest then I could look for them?" she offered.

"No, I saw them in a dream."

"In a dream? Then I can't help you. I've vowed to never leave Hallownest, and Dirtmouth is already stretching the limits." Keera sighed.

"Oh. It was worth a shot," Ash said, dejected.

"Come on, let's bring these to the Nailsmith." Tiso attempted to distract Ash from their dream.

"Okay. I hope Zote doesn't have any last-minute design changes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm comparing pale metal to hardened steel, and I think the basic in-game weapons (not the nail that the player uses) are made of normal steel.


	15. Finalized Weapon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zote's indecisiveness comes to an end.

"Are you serious!?" Tiso yelled.

"What's not to like about it?" Zote held up the metal section of his spear. His new plan was to add a third spike to the bottom.

"We won't have any chrysoberyl left over to repair it, but we have enough to make your spear," Ash said. They didn't mind, thinking about the utilities of a third spike on the bottom.

"It's almost a trident..." Sheo mused.

"Almost, but not quite. That's what the bottom spike is for!" Zote exclaimed.

Ash grabbed the metal staff and chrysoberyl and went to work. The end result was a spectacular work of art.

"It's perfect! How did you get to be this good?" Zote asked.

"I don't remember. Do you even know how to use that thing?" Ash pressed.

"Of course I do! I've been practicing! I'll show you when the glue dries. You'll be amazed!" Zote boasted.

Sheo just laughed and continued the painting he was working on.

Ash sat down and picked up a pencil. They began to write down all their favorite red gemstones and finally settled on red spinel. They thought about the types of crystal that the trio was using. Pink topaz, yellow chrysoberyl, and red spinel. It was quite an array of colors.

"You've been working for a while, why not take a break?" The Nailsmith suggested.

"I should keep working, at least a little bit. I need a real weapon so I don't hurt anyone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, burnout is fun. Sorry for the short chapter, I have three works going at once now. If you would be so kind as to check them out, that would be wonderful. Or probably you won't.


	16. Mercury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Quirrel.

It had been 4 days since anything eventful had happened. Ash had been teaching Tiso and Zote about proper fighting techniques. Sheo was rather impressed with how much they knew. Zote had trained with a spear while Ash and Tiso were off collecting materials. Tiso had plenty of experience with his shield already, but he had to get used to the added weight of the crystal. Tiso's technique was to throw his shield like a Frisbee, which would cut his opponents to ribbons. Theoretically, at least.

"Are you sure it's not too heavy, Zote? I can make the spikes lighter," Ash suggested.

"That might be the problem. Here, let's see if that works," Zote said as he handed over his spear. Ash went back inside the house and began working on the chrysoberyl.

"My shield doesn't feel that much heavier," Tiso tossed his shield in the air a few times.

"I don't think we used as much crystal for your shield," Ash called from inside.

"That's probably why. It's still heavy and hard to use," he added, dejected.

"You'll get used to it soon. You've been practicing a great deal," Sheo praised.

"I'm going to explore a bit," Tiso said suddenly.

"Be careful out there," Sheo warned.

Tiso hiked for a long while, enjoying the scenery and all the maskflies fluttering about. He stumbled upon a small clearing, hidden behind some vines. Using his shield, he cut down the vines as practice. It was surprisingly easy, making him realize just how much he had been practicing. The vines fell as if gravity had lessened its grip, looking almost like a falling curtain. Behind the curtain of vines was a small pond, surrounded by small flowers of varying colors. It was a beautiful sight. Tiso decided to stop and rest at this pond, taking in the scenery as he sat down. He sat for a while, almost meditating. The peace was interrupted by another wanderer who had discovered the now-apparent clearing.

"Hello, there! I was wondering who cut down these vines, and it must be you," the stranger waved.

"Err, yes," Tiso responded.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted you," the pill bug reached up to the top of his head as if he was trying to grab something that wasn't there.

"Err, no, it's fine. My name is Tiso."

"I am Quirrel. Pleased to meet you. I was looking for whoever was making odd silver puddles around here. There are a lot of small ones further in."

"I know someone who would do that. ...You didn't touch any of the silver stuff, did you?"

"With a stick. Funny enough, the stick dissolved when it came into contact with the puddle. I might have an idea of what it is, but I need to see what's making it."

"I can show you who's making the silver stuff. Follow me!" Tiso stood up and led Quirrel to Sheo's house. He explained who Ash was and that the silver poison was a part of their body.

"Interesting. I'm led to believe that the silver poison is mercury. I'll need to analyze it a bit to make sure, though," Quirrel explained.

The two arrived at the Nailmaster's house to find them all inside. Ash was pointing at a piece of paper, and Sheo looked as if he was thinking hard about something.

"Hey, what's going on?" Tiso asked.

"I saw more spots where my poison was. I don't know how it got there," Ash showed Tiso the map.

"These spots line up with what I saw," Quirrel noticed.

"And who are you?" Zote glared suspiciously at Quirrel.

"I'm a wanderer and a scholar. My name is Quirrel," he nodded. Ash moved as if they had a sudden realization.

"...I think I might be sleepwalking."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration struck me! I can finally keep writing this fic! I even have a short storyline plotted out!


	17. Sleepwalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash tries to remedy their sleepwalking.

"I... Sleepwalking? Are you sure?" Tiso asked.

"Not really. The cave is covered in... mercury... now. I might be sleepwalking around there," Ash replied.

"A cave? I've seen a cave covered in mercury. Yes, the spots were around there. Sleepwalking is most likely the culprit. I doubt the local fauna will be bothered," Quirrel nodded.

"We should clean it up either way. We could throw the contaminated debris in one of the acid pools," Tiso suggested.

"That just might work!" Quirrel exclaimed.

"We'll all help. It might take a while otherwise," Sheo chimed in.

"Let's go!" Ash said.

The group of 6 spent the rest of the day clearing out whatever Ash's mercury had damaged. They cut off the contaminated parts of leaves and vines and dug out the spots on the ground. The acid pools seemed to dissolve the mercury. Trying to find every contaminated spot was a nightmare. Tiso was brash and almost stepped in the poison multiple times. Zote yelled at anyone who wasn't being careful and transported the contaminated foliage with care. Sheo, the Nailsmith, and Quirrel were the ones cutting away the poisoned spots. Ash was the only other one locating the contaminated areas and tried their best to not make any new ones. Once they were finished, Ash talked with Quirrel about their sleepwalking.

"It might be stress. Has anything happened recently?" Quirrel asked.

"I had a weird dream. I saw someone that looked like me. I want to find them," Ash responded.

"Someone that looked like you?" Quirrel echoed.

"Yes. They were tall and had a red cloak. I think the cloak was on top of their wings. They had a weird, raspy voice. Their face looked exactly like mine!"

"I remember seeing someone like that in Dirtmouth. If we go see them, it might help!" Quirrel stood up.

"Then let's go. I hope they're still there!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My ADHD made me forget about this fic. I still have a story here, don't worry! Also, I did some research on mercury. Let's just say that mercury doesn't vaporize in this universe. Otherwise, this fic would be as dead as the characters. Actually, screw mercury science. This a work of fiction so I can do what I want.


	18. END OF WORK

This work is now dead. I've decided to rework the entire thing, but this crack-fic will still be up to read. I'll update this chapter once I have the first chapter of the new fic out. It will be a very long time before that happens.


End file.
